424 BRUNIACE2E HAMAMELIDAC E^l UMBELLIFER JE. 



exstipulate leaves, and flowers, frequently cymose, with the exterior 

 flowers sterile and dilated; found chiefly in the temperate parts of Asia 

 and America. 4. Saxifrageae, petals 5 or 0; stamens 5-10; ovary 

 more or less adherent; styles usually 2, and distinct; herbs, with 

 alternate, usually exstipulate leaves, found in the mountainous regions 

 of Europe, &c. Few of the plants are put to any use. Some of them 

 are astringent, and used for tanning; others have bitter tonic proper- 

 ties. In the entire order there are 57 known genera, and upwards 

 of 900 species. Examples Escallonia, Itea, Cunonia, Weinmannia, 

 Hydrangea, Bauera, Saxifraga, Chrysosplenium, Heuchera. 



886. Order 95. Brmiiaceie, the Brunia Family. ( Polypet. Epiyyn.) 

 Calyx 5-cleft; a3Stivation imbricated. Petals inserted in the throat of 

 the calyx, and alternate with its segments. Stamens alternate with the 

 petals, arising from them, or from a disk surrounding the ovary; an- 

 thers introrse, 2-celled, with longitudinal dehiscence. Ovary usually 

 adherent to the tube of the calyx, and 1-3-celled; ovules anatropal, 

 suspended, 1 or 2 in each cell; style simple or bifid; stigmas 1-3. 

 Fruit either bicoccous and 2-celled, or indehiscent and 1 -celled, 

 crowned by the persistent calyx. Seeds solitary or in pah's, suspended, 

 sometimes with a short arillus; embryo minute, at the base of fleshy 

 albumen; cotyledons short and fleshy; radicle conical, next the hilum. 

 Branched heath-like shrubs, with small, imbricated, rigid, and entire 

 leaves, and small, often capitate flowers. They are natives principally 

 of the Cape of Good Hope, and have no important properties. There 

 are 15 known genera according to Lindley, and 65 species. Examples 

 Brunia, Staavia, Ophiria. 



887. Order 96. Hamameiidacete, the Witch-hazel Family. (Poly- 

 pet. Epigyn.) Calyx 4-5-lobed or truncate. Petals 4-5 or 0, inserted 

 on the calyx, alternating with the calycine segments. Stamens twice 

 as many as the petals, in two rows, one of which alternates with the 

 petals and is fertile, the other is opposite to them and sterile; anthers 

 bilocular, introrse. Ovary adherent, 2-celled; ovules solitary, or 

 several (in Bucklandia and Sedgwickia), pendulous or suspended; styles 

 2. Fruit a 2-celled, 2-valved capsule, opening by loculicidal dehis- 

 cence. Seeds pendulous; embryo straight, in the axis of fleshy albu- 

 men; cotyledons leafy; radicle superior. Shrubs or small trees, with 

 alternate, petiolate, feather-veined, and stipulate leaves, and small 

 axillary, bracteated, often unisexual flowers. They are found in various 

 parts of Asia, Africa, and America. The seeds of Hamamelis virginica 

 are used as food, while its leaves and bark are astringent and acrid. 

 Lindley notices 10 genera, including 15 species. Examples Hama- 

 melis, Fothergilla, Bucklandia, 



888. Order 97. Umbellifewe, the Umbelliferous Family (figs. 612- 

 616), Apiacese of Lindley. (Polypet. Epigyn.) Calyx superior, 5- 

 toothed or entire. Petals 5, inserted on the outside of a fleshy epi- 



